I'm on niacin. 1000 mg three times a day. The theory that it is effective for schizophrenia belongs to Dr. Hoffer (now deceased). He claims that niacin lowers levels of a chemical called adrinochrome which has been shown to be hallucinogenic. However, most psychiatrists will say that there is little evidence for its effectiveness in treating the symptoms of schizophrenia. With that said, i've been taking it for over a year. It didn't hurt. The first time you take it you're going to flush really bad. Your skin will turn bright pink, you will itch, and you will get very hot. You might think you've made a mistake once you take it, but it's harmless and the whole experience of getting hot will only last half and hour. But for half an hour you will be laid out flat on your bed in a state of hotness. Every other time you take it the flushing will not be so bad. I hardly flush at all after having taken it for over a year. But with that said, I'm not so sure the vitamin it self really had any effect on my symptoms. The man who studied the whole thing, Dr. Hoffer, lived to be 98, so don't worry about your liver. He took the stuff every day. To be honest the thing that worked best for me was clonazepam and seriquel and constant attention to my heart chakra centre. I was a committed head case for over a year, but I got out and got my life back on track, so...for what it's worth...take care....adios.